Spring-wheel



H. WILEMAN.

` SPRING WHEEL.

APPLlcAloN man JULY 22. 191s.

1,344,012. Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. Wileman H. WILEMAN.

- SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1918. 1,344,012. Patented June 22, 1920.

31 l I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awozm my.

. the wheel.

UNITED STATES HARTFORD WILEMAN, 0F CLAY CENTER, NEBRASKA.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Julie 22, 1920.

Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 246,059. y

To all @07m/malt may concern:

Be it known that I, HARTFORD VVILEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clay Center, in the county of Clay and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SpringlVheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in vehiclewheels and has particular reference to a spring wheel construction.

An object of the inventionis to provide an improved construction wherein a tread or tire is so mounted with respect to the felly of the wheel that the same will have both radial and circumferential movements relative thereto.

Another' object is to provide a spring wheel of this character which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and effective in carryinoP out the purpose for which it is designe The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving` a variety of mechanical expressions one of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the wheel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section.

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the tread or tire partly broken away.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. f

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through one of the shock absorbing or cushioning devices employed in connection with the invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the mountings for the outer end of a spoke.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a channel member secured to the felly of Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings the numeral 5 'indicates the hub of a wheel having the usual spokes (S radiating therefrom, the outer ends of which are secured to the felly 7.

A casing 8 is provided for receiving the felly 7 and consists of a pair of sections 9 having their inner edges 10 disposed in overlapping relation and cut away to provide openingsk 11 through which the outer ends' of the spokes 6 extend. Said outer ends of the spokes are surrounded by the sleeves 12 carrying plates 13 curved to conform substantially to the contour of the inner edges 10 and receiving in their grooved longitudinal edges the guide strips 1-1 designed to retain the plates in their operative positions and permit of a circumferential movement of the casing 8 with respect to the felly, such movement being produced by the slight rotation of the hub of the wheel relative to the tread thereof when a vehicle is started from a standstill. A sleeve 12 is secured at its inner end to each spoke 6, and at its outer end it is enlarged and adapted to telescopically receive the adjacent sleeve 12.

A reinforcing plate 15 is fitted over the sides and rim surface of the felly 7 and said plate and felly have secured thereto a peripheral channel member 16 of substantially U-shaped formation in cross section, the distance between the sides of said member being equal to that ofthe width of the felly. At

intervals, the outer edges of the channel member 16 are reinforced by the cross strips 17.

A tread or tire formed ofany suitable and somewhat flexible metal is4 shaped to conform substantially to the contour` of an ordinary pneumatic tire and is provided in its tread portion with a plurality of anti-slipping projections 19. Each longitudinal edge of the tread 18 is secured by, rivets 18 to the flange 8 of the casing S, beyond which said edge portion is bent inwardly to provide the angularly disposed plates 20 and 21 the former of which is disposed in parallel relation to the similar plate of the op posite inner portion of the tread whereby to receive the channel member 16 therebetween and permit of movements thereof together with the felly 7. The free longitudinal edges of the plates 21 are soldered. or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the tread 18 adjacent the rim portion thereof so as to brace or reinforce the sides of the tread when pressure is brought to bear thereon. The tread portion ofthe tread 18 is also reinforced by the transverse braces 22 and disposed between adjacent braces in any desired number of strong coil springs 23 arranged radially with respect to the hub 5 and having their outer ends secured to the inner suri'ace ot' the tread portion and their inner ends secured in the bottom ot the channel member 16. These springs 23 normally exert an inward pressure upon the ielly 7 and are adapted to support the weight of the wheel and yieldably permit of an outward movement of the felly `relative to the tread 18 at the point of contact of the tread with the ground.

It will be apparent that when a vehicle started from a standstill the movement imparted to the hub 5 et the wheel by the rotation oi the axle upon which said hub is mounted will produce a circumferential or rotary movement ot the telly 7 and channel member 16 with respect to the tread 1S and in order to relieve the shock ot the sudden transmission oi this rotary movement oif' the telly upon said tread member there is prei"- erably provided a pluraiity oi shock absorbing or cushioning devices arranged a tervals about the interior ot the tread po.,`A tion and between adjacent springs 2?. Each of these devices preferably consists ot a pair of relatively movable transverse bars or plates 2st. Carried by the mutually adjacent faces of the plates 24 are the tongued wa ers 25 with which are ci'igaged the ends ot a spring 2G interposed between the bars to normally :torce the same apart. Each end of one ot the bars 24 has adjustably secured thereon one end of a rod 2'? the intermediate portion of which passes through the adjacent end of the other bar 2li and has its other end secured to the lug 2S carried by the adjacent brace 22. The econdaiamed bar 24, or that one through which the rods 27 extend, has secured thereto in a "nner similar to that in \vhich`the rods 27 are secured to the irst-named bar 2%, the ends of the rods 29 which extend in an opposite direction from the rods 27 and through said first-named bar 24. The other ends of said rods 29 are biturcated and pivotally connected to lugs 30 fixed at the free longitudinal edges of the channel member 16, the rods 27 and 29 of each pair being disposed on opposite sides ot the correspondir springs 23. From thisconstruction, it n i, i be apparent that should a peripheral or tary movement et the 'telly 7 in either direction occur there will be a pull p sh etz-- erted upon either pair of rods 2? or 2S) and said pull or push will be against the tension oi' the sprin g 2G which will absorb the shock and aid in gradually imparting to the tread 18 a movement in unison with the telly in anti-slipping device may be employed in connection with the tread 15% and preterably comprises a pair orp hingedly connected sections 31 adapted to slip over the tread 1S and provided with the outwardly projecting studs 32.

iWhat is claimed is 1. A vehicle wheel comprising a. telly', a sectional casing therefor, spokes secured to the telly and extending through said casing and having a movement relative thereto, a channel member secured to said telly and movable therewith, a tread secured, to said casing and having the portions adjacent the telly directed out iardly in spaced relation and between which the channel member isY slidably received and then laterally in op-I and between which the channel member is slidably received and then laterally in opposite directions against the inner surface or' the tread member, coil springs interposed between the bottom of said channel member and the tread portion of said tread, vand shock absorbing devices interposed between adjacent coil springs and connected to said channel member and to said tread.

3. A vehicle wheel comprising a telly, a sectional casing therefor, spokes secured to the elly and extending through said casing and having a movement relative thereto, a channel member secured to saidr telly and movable therewith, a tread secured to said casing and having the portions adjacent the telly directed outwardly in spaced relation and between which the channel member is slidably received and then laterally in opposite directions against the inner surface of the tread member, coil springs interposed between the bottom of said channel member and the tread portion of said tread, shock absorbing devices interposed between adjacent coil springs and connected to said channel member and to said tread, each of said shock absorbing devices consisting of transversely disposed bars, a coil spring interposed therebetween iior normally forcing the same apart, and a pair of rods connected to each bar and extending through the other bar, one pair of rods being connected to said channel member and the other pair of rods being connected to said tread member.

In testimony whereof I my signature in the presence oi two witnesses.

HARTFORD VILEMAN.,

Witnesses: i

LESTER 7. MooN, THos. A. SmrKnN. 

